Monarchy of Kalmar Union
The Monarchy of The Kalmar Union is the constitutional monarchy of the The Kalmar Union. The present monarch, Oscar III of The Baltic Union, has reigned since 11 March 2001. He and his immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties. As The Baltic Union is a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system, the monarch has a largely ceremonial role, though officially he or she is head of state and holds the highest public office in The Baltic Union and the highest military and social rank. The Act of Union of 2001 designates the House of Bernadotte as The Baltic Union royal house. Constitutional rights and privileges Although the 2001 Act of Union grants important executive powers to the king, these are almost always exercised by the Council of State in the name of the King. Constitutional practice has replaced the meaning of the word King in most articles from the king personally to the elected government. The reserve powers vested in the Monarch by the Act of Union are significant and an important security part of the role of the Monarchy. Inmunity The King's person is sacred; he cannot be censured or accused. The responsibility rests with his Council. This article applies to the king personally. The king has legal sovereign inmunity. The Royal Princes and Princesses shall not personally be answerable to anyone other than the King, or whomever he decrees to sit in judgment on them. This means that the Princes and Princesses also have immunity on the discretion of the king. He could decide to let them be judged by the regular courts or he could decide to judge them himself. Council of State The Council of State is formally convened by the reigning monarch. It consists of a Prime Minister and his council, formally appointed by the King. Parliamentarism entails that the cabinet must not have the parliament against it, and that the appointment by the King is a formality. The council must have the confidence of The Baltic Union legislative body, known as the Union Parliament. In practice, the monarch will ask the leader of a parliamentary block that has a majority in the Union Parliament to form a government. After elections resulting in no clear majority to any party or coalition, the leader of the party most likely to be able to form a government is appointed Prime Minister. The Prime Minister designates the rest of the members of the Council of State who are then appointed by the King. Veto of laws The King has to sign all laws in order for them to become valid. He can veto any law. However, if three separate Union Parliament approves the law it becomes valid even without the King's consent. The King has not vetoed any law since the formation of the union. If the King assents to the Bill, he appends his signature, whereby it becomes law. If he does not assent to it, he returns it to the Union Senate with a statement that he does not for the time being find it expedient to sanction it. In that case the Bill must not again be submitted to the King by the Union Senate then assembled. ... Pardoning criminals The King shall have the right in the Council of State to pardon criminals after sentence has been passed. A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. It may be given if new information on the crime or criminal has come to light after sentencing has begun. A pardon may entail a complete or partial withdrawal of punishment. The practical execution of this right has been delegated to the MInistry of Justice which may dismiss an application for a pardon. The formal approval of a pardon has to be done by the King in Council. Appointing senior officials The King shall choose and appoint, after consultation with his Council of State, all senior civil, ecclesiastical and military officials. '' The appointment is formally made by the king, but is in practice up to the elected government. Dismissing the government The Prime Minister and the other Members of the Council of State, together with the State Secretaries, may be dismissed by the King without any prior court judgment, after he has heard the opinion of the Council of State on the subject. Church of The Baltic Union The Church of The Baltic Union, also known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Baltic Union, is the state church of The Baltic Union, to which 80% of Baltics are members. The Church of The Baltic Union professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity. The King is the supreme governor and protector of the Church of The Baltic Union. He formally decides who is to become bishops and oversees that the church conducts its business according to "the norms prescribed" for them. In practice this authority has been delegated to the Ministry of Church Affairs. Chivalric orders The King may bestow orders upon whomever he pleases, as a reward for distinguished services... War ''The King is Commander-in-Chief of the land, air and naval forces of the Realm. The King has the right to call up troops, to engage in hostilities in defence of the Realm and to make peace, to conclude and denounce conventions, to send and to receive diplomatic envoys. The King is revered in the armed forces as their highest commander, but there is no doubt as to the complete control of the armed forces by the elected government. The King must have an extensive military training and to some extent pursued a career within the armed forces before ascending to the throne. Succession The line of succession to The Baltic Union throne is determined by the Act of Union with equal primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession. Finances The King, Queen, Crown Prince and Crown Princess are exempt from paying any taxes and their personal finances are not revealed to the public. Other members of the royal family have lost that privilege upon marriage. It is believed that only the King has a personal fortune of a notable size. The royal farms generate some revenue, but this is always re-invested in the farms themselves. Residences Royal Coat of Arms The Coat of Arms of The Baltic Union serves both as the coat of arms of the nation and of the Royal House Category:The Baltic UnionCategory:Monarchs